Until the Wheels Fall Off
by baby-rose15
Summary: She just wants to come home. Except it's never that easy. The one case that has haunted her adult life comes back, making coming home a choice between her past and her future.
1. Chapter 1

**Until the Wheels Fall Off**

**Chapter 1**

* * *

"It's okay to not be perfect.

It's okay to make mistakes.

It's okay to do something that you wish you hadn't done,

because if we don't do those things we never grow."

- Dawn Stanyon

* * *

She jumps in the seat, knuckles blanching on the wheel. Traffic in this city is infernal. She's spent her whole life driving in New York and yet she has never found traffic as frustrating as she has in the in the last four months. Another horn sounds somewhere behind her and she couldn't even begin to tell you who they were honking at, let alone why. There's too many versions of the rules of the road here. Too many people with their own idea of when blinkers are appropriate, how small their car is, who gets the right of way and what the ideal over the speed limit speed is.

It doesn't help that she always seems to get lost, it's a little city, carefully planned, at least that's what they claim. Only instead of making it easier to navigate it seems to only have gotten her spun in circles. She can't even begin to think about the number of times that she put something wrong into the GPS and ended up in the completely wrong corner of the city, to her eternal frustration.

It's just another thing on a list that gets longer with every sweltering day as summer moves into the dog days. She's always sweating. Sweating in the air conditioning because it's so hot and humid outside that the air conditioning causes her body go into shock and tries and equalize too quickly. Sweating when she steps into the heat from the refrigerated air because it's like walking into a brick wall. She always feels like a mess.

People are everywhere in wrinkled shorts, souvenir shirts, with cameras they don't know how to use slung around their necks. That wouldn't be a problem except she feels like she's one of them trying to find something, or walk around the sights on her two free hours. The public transportation may be clean but taking it on the weekend is the worst idea she's ever had. That first weekend was miserable so she started driving unless it made absolutely no sense.

And fuck if she's not incredibly lonely all the time. She doesn't have time to go out and make new friends, she's too old for it. She already has friends god damn it. She's never been homesick before in her life but here she is in her mid-thirties trying to stave off depression by drowning in work and it's not healthy, but she doesn't know what else to do besides be at work or out running. The number of miles she's logging on the weekends, it's just not good.

Her ringtone pierces the air-conditioned silence of her SUV, she jilts, jerking the wheel and a beat passes before she can get herself together enough to fish the phone from the cup holder and answer it. "Beckett," she thinks she sounds professional, but she also sounds like she's fighting tears.

"Yo Beckett!" Crackles through the earpiece.

"Javi," it whooshes out of her, relief that it's someone she actually wants to talk to. Someone that eases the ache in her chest just a little bit, "How are you?"

"Good boss. Summer's getting old, making people crazy." He does that little whistle he has when he thinks someone's gone off the deep end, "That's actually what I was calling about."

"Hmmm..." Humming? When was the last time she hummed at work? "What do you need Espo?"

"Well I was wondering if you maybe could pull some strings, talk to some people. We keep getting shut down when we try to run this guy down."

"Espo how'd you get nominated to ask? Isn't this normally Ryan's kind of thing?"

She chuckles prompting a laugh from him on the other end, "He's too busy coming up with Castlesque theories to do actually police work." She sucks in a breath, using it to keep herself together even as he plows on. A beat passes in silence, and then his tone is laced with concerned, "Kate? Are you ok?"

Shaking her head, she turns into the parking garage under her apartment building. "I'm fine... I just miss you guys that's all."

"Hey we miss you too, but we'll see you soon. Ryan's got a countdown on the board it's not long now."

"Thanks. I needed that." Even if she doesn't know what she's going to do when it hits zero. "Send me the details of the case I'll work on it in the morning."

"Seriously, Beckett. Thanks..." There is a pregnant pause, and she knows he's trying to figure out if he's even allowed to ask, "Have you heard from him?"

"Javi..."

"I know not helping."

"He doesn't have a phone service down there..." It takes everything in her to just admit it, but she needs to get it off her chest. Tell someone, "I miss him."

"You should." The answer comes back rapid fire like he wouldn't expect anything less.

She smiles at that, he's always been more clued into her and Castle than even they have been at times. "I miss you guys too."

"Well obviously," she can hear the scoff. "Look I gotta go. Gates is glaring at me, jealous. I think she misses you too," he stage whispers.

She really does laugh at that, the smile stretching uncomfortably on her face likes she's out of practice. "Send me the stuff Esposito, I'll call you when I have something."

"Night boss," followed by the disconnection beep. Huffing out a breath, she lets her head rest against the steering wheel of the oversized vehicle. Deep breath, and then let it out. Wallowing in the icy air for just a minute longer, before shutting the engine off, clambering out of the monstrous machine into the humid stale air of the garage.

In twenty minutes she's laced up her running shoes and is pushing her way out of the lobby of the apartment building letting her stride get away from her eating up the sweltering pavement as she heads for her favorite route. Her pace evens out when she reaches the sleepy college campus so she can ignore the traffic lights. Her brain lulls into just breathing, and maintaining her pace as the towering marble monument comes into her line of sight.

Crossing Constitution Avenue and onto the mall she turns right and runs toward the shining white building on the hill, the sun glancing off the dome.

* * *

"_Katherine Houghton Beckett, will you marry me?"_

_He's on his knee in front of her. Determination in his eyes and a sparkling, perfect ring in his hand for her. It's the space of a heartbeat, it might as well have been a lifetime, before she's launching herself off the swing to kneel in front of him. Cradling his face in her hands, "Castle." She leans in and kisses him softly, reverently, and lovingly. "Oh Castle, I love you so much." She sighs pressing her forehead against his. _

"_Is that a yes?" He's still not sure of her and that says more than anything, but she wants this more than she ever thought possible. She bites her lip and takes the ring from him, sliding on to her left ring finger._

_It's too big, she has such slim fingers, and there's no way it will stay on she tries not to laugh, but it does look a little silly and she's relieved when he chuckles. "It's probably a sign" he sighs._

"_A sign?" She lifts an eyebrow looking at him, willing him to lift his eyes to her._

"_That maybe this isn't the best course of action." He says slowly, just looking at her hand with the too big diamond ring._

"_Rick," she smoothes her hand over his jaw so his eyes lift to hers, "it's beautiful."_

"_Yeah?" He asks a measure of relief appearing in his eyes._

"_Yeah." She swallows hard, because this is going to be harder that she might have hoped. "But maybe while we're getting it sized we sort out some other stuff."_

"_Other stuff?" He looks really hesitant._

"_Come on it's about to rain." She says balling her fist so as not to lose the ring and using her other hand to pull him up. "There's a coffee shop on the corner."_

* * *

**There it is. The beginning of my stab at the start of season 6. Tell me what you think and keep an eye out for the next chapter. I'm quiet aways ahead of this so it should be pretty regular updates.  
**


	2. Chapter 2

_*Since I forgot to mention it on the last chapter. I just wanted to remind the universe at large that the show castle is not mine in an legal way but in fact is the property of Disney, ABC, and it's creators, cast, and creative team in general. Just in case you were wondering.*_

**Chapter 2**

* * *

"I don't know who invented the high heel. But women owe him a lot."

- Marilyn Monroe

* * *

It's early when she gets to her office. It's a cold personality less room, like the rest of the floor. There's only one personal effect on her desk and it's a blue coffee cup that she takes with her to the break room while the aging government computer boots up. There's a keurig so the coffee is drinkable, but that's all that can be said for it, that and someone has decided that government dollars should be spent on supplying real vanilla creamer. Whoever that person is, she's eternally grateful for them.

The office is always buzzing, but never in the way the precinct did. Here there's a sense of worker bee, people just researching, finishing out paperwork, tracking digital trails, the interesting work happens in the offices and the floors of other law enforcement offices, floors below here around the country and occasionally around the world. There's nothing here that ties her to the work that's happening. It all feels so separate her. It's too clean.

She hates it.

The computer is whirring away when she gets back plugging in the password; it's changed three times since she got here. Outlook opens and there's a slew of emails about the cases she's wrapping up, the ones that they're requesting her on, one from her dad checking in on her, and five in a row from Esposito, followed by an apology from Kevin for letting Javi do things on the computer that makes her smile.

The staff meeting is on her calendar for 10 but she has some time to run down the boys case for them, her own stuff can wait until the search engines are running. She reads over the files, he sent down, making notes of the relevant information, and where they are in the process. Ryan had emailed over a digital copy of the time line for her as well. She grins, happy for them, they've found their feet without her. They're really good at this.

It just makes her miss them more.

She can see the patterns now, no wonder the feds are shutting the boys down at every turn. It's looped into a larger case. One that the Attorney General seems to have been working on for a long time now. They've had her on a few of the periphery cases, she's not sure what the goal is or who they're trying to bring down though.

Now she's got something. Something solid that she can take to the morning meeting and when they're assigning cases. A case that she can use to go home. Go home and work with a team that makes her laugh and solve cases and she knows they're making a difference.

Search engines run, compiling the data that Espo and Ryan need for the case , meanwhile she clears the cases that are sitting in her inbox. All of the paperwork, no excuses for not sending her. She doesn't need to spend another three weeks working out of an Omaha Sheriffs' station. That assignment was bullshit on a level she doesn't appreciate. Hazing by men in black suits that insisted this is where she belonged.

The folders snap down on the table when she strides into the meeting perfectly on time, starling the dick agent that hates her, making him splash his coffee over the rim. She smirks pulling out the chair next to him, not even acknowledging the glare he gives her.

Assistant Attorney General Roth is at the head of the table is at the head of the table, leafing through some paperwork. He always has all these notes that he's shuffling around like he can't keep track of anything unless it's written down. "Alright let's get this started. Agent Bowers where are we on the Caswell Case?"

Bowers starts the run down on that case before redirecting to the other two cases he's running out of DC. Frosh, the dick next to her, runs through his cases making snide comments about how quickly he's been able to close his cases. She can't help but roll her eyes, veteran cops with the NYPD weren't as full of shit as this guy is ever.

"Agent Beckett where are you at with your cases?" Roth turns to her.

"Closed sir." She pushes the stack of files towards him, "Everything has been filed with the appropriate jurisdictions. You'll be seeing the completed case files in the next couple of days."

"Well look at that, new girl is getting stuff done," Frosh breathes.

Ignoring the jackass, she plows on. "I was contacted by my old team on the NYPD about a case they're working on. They seemed to have caught a case that we already have our fingers in, so I offered to run it down for them." Opening a copy of prepared materials she already pushed it across the table, "Sir, I know I've only been in the office for a couple of months but this case looks like it connected to the other cases, that while I haven't been briefed on the full scope of the operation, we seem to be investigating here..."

"This is the case that the 12th precinct has picked up?" He interrupts, poring over the documents that she provided.

"Yes, Sir."

He looks up, "You said your old team?"

"Yes," she nods, "Detectives Ryan and Esposito at the 12th's homicide, under Captain Gates."

There's a kerfuffle as he shuffles some papers around looking for the specific note he wants,

"Yes, we have an official request from Captain Gates."

She steels herself, for what could be a potential fight, "Sir, I request to join them in the field."

"You think we should let them stay on it?" He waves his hands, paper fluttering, "We shouldn't claim jurisdiction, but rather send someone in?"

"Not someone, me." She insists.

"You're the junior agent." Frosh snaps, jealous rearing its head. "I've been on the case, and fully briefed on its details it makes more sense to send me in if we don't just claim jurisdiction."

Disregarding Frosh's attitude she keeps her eyes on Roth, "Sir, this was my team for the last six years we have an established rapport, a known close rate, and I have contacts on the ground."

Roth looks between her and Frosh and back at the file before him. "Give me a couple of hours to go over the details and I'll get back to you. Don't get your hopes up though. We have enough of a presence that taking over in New York would be pretty simple." Closing the folder on his notes, he smiles at them. "Beckett you have some consult requests I'd like you to respond to otherwise we're set for now."

Bowers smiles and follows the boss out. Frosh is seething in his seat, but she couldn't care less as stands pulling out her phone to call Espo. "Who do you think you are?"

She whips her head round to him, allowing the adrenaline to flood her system. She's been looking forward to putting the jackass in his place since she got here and he made a comment about hiring beauty over brains. "Do you have a problem Agent Frosh?" Her tone clipped as she lifts an eyebrow.

"Yeah I have a problem, where do you get off asking to be put on that assignment?" he grouses, "You've been here two months. You don't get to jump on whatever case suits your fancy. Back off." He stands hoping that his height will cow her into letting it drop.

Bastard underestimated her heels putting them at eye level. She's steps into him, "Look I don't know what your problem is with me, but I came here to do a job. That currently involves asking to go somewhere where I know the SOP and the people on the ground because that is what will close the case. You want to go ask for it be my guest, but good luck making a better case for it than I will. Now back off and worry about your own shit." With that she strode out of the conference room lifting her phone to her ear waiting to be connected with Espo's cell.

* * *

**Thanks for your enthusiasm on the first chapter! I hope this is up to par, let me know.**

**Babyrose**


	3. Chapter 3

Happy Independence Day America! To everyone else Happy Thursday!

**Chapter 3 **

* * *

"It does not take much strength to do things, but it requires a great deal of strength to decide what to do."

― Elbert Hubbard

* * *

**Chapter 3**

_He smiles as he sets a cup of her favorite in front of her at the little table she's found in the back corner, easing himself into the chair across from her allowing their knees to knock together, in a familiar way. He takes a fortifying sip of the coffee, releasing a breath from deep down before he asks, "What did you want to talk to me about before I sucked the wind out of your sails."_

_She looks across at the beautiful man who wormed his way so far inside she has no idea what to do now, even as a symbol of how far he'll go for her flops back and forth on her finger. "They offered me the job."_

_He knew it was coming, she can see that in his eyes, but what comes out of his mouth next is not at all what she expected. "So when do we move to DC?" She blanches this entire afternoon has taken a completely unpredictable turn; at least from what she thought was going to happen. "Kate, I was serious whatever you decide I'm there. All I want is you."_

"_What about Alexis? Martha?"_

"_They'll be here in New York. I won't sell the loft and it's not like I can't visit from DC." He says it so matter a factly she wants to launch herself into his arms and sob that she loves him. "Do you want the job?"_

"_This is my home, my family, my friends, and you are all here. But that job it could mean so much more but it wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't be the job I love doing, it would be a federal task force and yes it would be solving crimes but are those the type of crimes that I went into this field to solve?" She asks spinning the coffee sleeve round and round._

"_Kate... You got in this to honor the families that have lost someone, to give them the answers that you never got. But you have those answers, and your good, heck you're fantastic at what you do and you got recognized and rewarded for that." He reaches out and wraps a hand around her wrist._

_She focuses on him, "But does that mean I give up something I know I love doing to try something else?"_

"_You wouldn't be giving it up," he shakes his head, "you'd be trying it out. You really hate it you can go back to something you know you love."_

_She pulls her wrist back so that she can hold his hand. "That was the Attorney General's suggestion when I called to turn the position down," she huffs._

"_You turned it down." He's surprised, well good, she doesn't like feeling like she's the only one off kilter right now._

"_I attempted to turn it down," she confirms. "But the Attorney General is rather insistent on a trial period of at least a couple of months, ideally right away. He'd like me down there for the summer, and then make a decision about staying in the fall."_

"_What are you going to do?" _

"_I'm talking to you, what do you think?" This was exactly what their fight was about before, not talking to him about things so here she is._

_Collapsing back in the chair studying her, he sighs bodily. "You should go try, at the end of the summer you make a decision. I bet you can arrange a leave of absence from the precinct until then."_

"_What if my decision is to stay in DC?"_

_He shrugs, "Then you stay and we'll work it out from there."_

_There's a long silence where they both look at each other, and drink their coffee. The ring flops awkwardly against her knuckle and she pulls her hand away to look at it. He really did a spectacular job picking it out. "How long have you had this?" _

_He looks down sheepishly, "I'd rather not say."_

"_You didn't buy it this morning though?"_

_He shakes his head, "No, I've had it for a while, just been putting off getting it sized till I knew you were ready. Plus you don't normally wear rings, so then I tried to size your finger when you were sleeping but you don't really sleep heavily enough for that," he rattles off._

"_How long have you wanted to marry me?"_

"_I'd really rather not say that either." He looks embarrassed by how utterly embarrassed he is by the fact that he's been head over heels in love with her for longer than either of them have really been willing to admit to this day._

"_You've been planning something big beautiful and spectacular haven't you?" He doesn't answer just looks at her imploringly. Looking down at the ring again, she knows what she has to do. Slipping the ring off her finger, she holds it up between them. "Keep it Castle. Get it sized and when things feel settled ask again, in whatever grand spectacular way you have your head._

"_Yeah?" his eyes light up with relief._

"_Yeah," she nods, "Yeah I really want it to be a really wonderful happy moment for us Rick. I want it to stand on its own. I know what you want, and I know what I want and that's what I need right now." She presses the ring into his hand._

"_You want to marry me." He still looks shocked at the possibility, closing his hand around the ring._

_"In a way that if you'd asked me 5 years ago was possible I would of had you committed. I want that ring and I want a life with you Castle."_

* * *

**Hope you enjoy some fireworks (unless you're in fire country, then maybe skip them) and good company.  
**

**Babyrose**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

* * *

"Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness."

― Bertrand Russell

* * *

"Beckett." She snaps her head up from the file she's going over on a case concerning cyber security attacks, to find the Attorney General standing at her door.

Standing too quickly cracking her knee on the desk she chokes out, "Sir?"

He smiles reassuringly, "Relax, take a seat." He gestures for her to sit while closing the door behind him and settling in the visitor's chair that has never been used. Studying her for just a moment, "If we send you to New York, you're not coming back."

She can feel the confusion on her face, "Sir?"

"This case, the one your old team has picked up in New York, you're right it's tied to the Lythgoe Case that we're been working on. Roth came to me and told you'd like to be sent up there rather than just having the office up there scoop it off their desks." The silence in the room is deadly, while she waits for him to continue. "He doesn't want to send you," he leans back in the chair.

"Sir, I know New York, I know the NYPD and I know my team, we had the highest close rate in the city. If you want this case cleared your best bet is to send me up there."

"He doesn't want to send you because he doesn't want to lose you." She chokes on that, because he's right. "You've closed more cases in the time you've been with us than any other new agent has in the same amount of time, you're a real asset and Roth is afraid that if he sends you up there that you're not coming back. He's already concerned you're not going to stay at the end of the trial period."

There's a stiflingly long pause and then he asks, "Tell me Agent Beckett, if we send you up there would we get you back?"

She breathes slowly, trying to figure out if there is a way to phrase this that won't completely ruin her chances of going. "Sir I..."

He cuts her off though, "See I'm all for sending you up there anyway because you're right, you'll close the case. But Roth's right you wouldn't come back. But at least we'd close the case."

"Sir, what makes you think I wouldn't come back?" she manages to ask, throat burning with the effort.

"You haven't moved out of the prefurnished apartment we found you, you just picked up the month to month lease. The only personal effect in this office is that coffee cup. Your team up there is your family, your dad is there, and your fiancée and his family his there."

"We're not..." she tries to interrupt.

"You don't wear the ring Agent Beckett, and maybe you haven't given him an answer, or he hasn't asked but don't think I don't know that that's the reality of your partnership.

"They're in Costa Rica." She says, not that they moved there and it's permanent, it's just the first thing that comes to mind.

The AG just brushes her off. "But most of all Kate you're not happy here. Doing a job that you should love, and are really good at, but I don't think I've seen you smile once. In fact the whole time you look like your heart has been broken, which isn't right for someone as pretty as you."

He's smiling at her easily, a man who knows that the battle isn't worth fighting. "Sir this is a wonderful opportunity and the job is something that I'm really good at, but..."

"But you're heart isn't in it, and that's what made you such a good cop. Besides there's no way I'm along to let a novelist tag along just to make you happy."

Her chest eases and she laughs, "He wouldn't come anyway, this place has no character."

"It is a little drab." He agrees with her standing buttoning his suit jacket. "There's a briefing in an hour in the large conference room on the 5th floor, and the relevant files are in your inbox." He looks at her. "We're not letting you go without a fight Beckett, I know we agreed that this would be temporary for the summer, to see how it would work for everyone, but we want you. Make no mistake."

"Sir?"

"You're going to New York, Beckett." For the first time she smiles freely in the presence of a co-worker. The AG just laughs, "I think we're fighting a losing battle."

* * *

_Unassembled boxes are everywhere, but otherwise the apartment is very much intact. They're both standing in the room just looking at the daunting task ahead of them. "I love this apartment," she sighs popping open one of the many boxes, taping the bottom._

"_It is very Beckett. Have you decided what you're taking with and what is going into storage for now?" He opens up another box._

_She smiles feeling the force of it, hoping it lightens the mood, "Everything is going into storage except my clothes, some of which I'll leave with you and rest will come with me. That and a box of books." _

_He slides up next to her wrapping his arms around her hips. "You need help with that?" he growls in her ear causing arousal to rush through her veins._

"_Nah," she shakes her head dramatically, "I thought I'd just pack my collection of Patterson novels." She turns into him brushing her lips over his jaw settling her head on his shoulder. "I don't want to go without you," She tells him softly from the crook of his neck._

_He squeezes her, "I'll visit over the summer and when I get back from my trip to Latin America with Alexis..."_

"_... then we make a decision about DC." She sighs bodily, sinking into him. "We'll be Ok?" she asks again._

"_We'll be ok." He repeats back meaning to reassure, but nothing feels reassuring. "In the meantime Nikki and Rook will keep you company."_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

* * *

Hold on, to me as we go  
As we roll down this unfamiliar road  
And although this wave (wave) is stringing us along  
Just know you're not alone  
Cause I'm gonna make this place your home

- Phillip Phillips

* * *

The elevator chimes at homicide floor, such a sweet sound, "Beckett!" The dual chorus of her boys is the only thing that tops it.

"Hey guys." She giggles as Esposito wraps his arms around her and somehow picks her up spinning her around dropping her in front of Ryan, who pulls her in for a much more grown up hug.

"So how'd we get so lucky to score you as our federal liaison?" Esposito asks grabbing her suitcase from her even as Ryan pulls her briefcase off her shoulder.

"I asked." She says falling into stride between them.

Ryan chuckles, "Since when do the feds make things that easy?"

Throwing her arms around both of their shoulders, "Maybe I'm just that good."

"Agent Beckett." The clear strong voice of Captain Gates carries across the bullpen from the doorway where she stands.

"Mom calls," Espo says under his breath. Smacking his head, she lets go of the two knuckleheads crossing to the Captain straightening her suit jacket as she goes.

"Captain it's good to see you." She extends her hand to shake the captain's.

"Oh come here." The older woman sighs pulling her in cloaking her in the familiar Chanel No 5, "It's so wonderful to see you here."

"It's good to see you too Sir." She means it with every ounce of her being, and it doesn't even surprise her to realize that she likes her old boss. That she misses her old boss just as much as everyone else.

"I trust you're fully briefed on the case," Gates asks moving right onto the important things.

"Yes Sir," she nods more than happy to get on with it, "and the case that the AG is hoping to use it in."

"Good. Your old terminal is at your disposal." She gestures towards her old desk, "Maybe you can keep these knuckle heads in line," she adds with a wave towards the boys. "Mr. Castle..."

"Is in Costa Rica with his daughter." She finishes.

"Well that's just as well we actually want to close this case, although I think they could use a Castle theory right now." The captain adds with a wink.

"Well they'll have to settle for whatever Ryan can come with." She smiles back feeling the release of stress even as this case because more convoluted by the second.

The captain laughs, "Alright get to work. Keep me updated with your progress."

The boys were already spread out in the conference room when I turn around, my luggage sitting next to my desk as though nothing had really changed. "Hey boss are you going to fill us in on what the hell is going on here?" Ryan pokes his head out of the room looking at her like nothing has changed, "Not that were not glad you're here but, we don't usually like asking the Feds for help."

"Yeah well, you snagged one that's a little out of your league guys. Good news is they think adding me to the team means you get to keep it." Grabbing her briefcase she follows them into the conference room, making sure the door closed behind me. "So here's what we're working with..." She tells them pulling files out passing the copies to the boys. "Did you guys conduct the interviews that I ask for?"

Ryan grabs the sheets of notes and together they start filling in the complete profile, building the case, finding the holes, connecting the dots, building theory and tearing it back down. It was back and forth, arguing the point, telling the story, and actually working a case with a team in a collaborative effort.

"We should get some sleep." She says over the boxes of take out that went cold hours ago, pulling the pins out of her hair and letting it tumble around her shoulders.

"Whoa, Beckett you cut all your hair off," Espo observes.

She smiles, "It was getting pretty long, and its way too humid in DC for that. I'd like to see you go for a run with hair that long."

His face wrinkles, "Girl, I'd have a fro."

She chokes on the dregs of coffee she had taken a sip of, Ryan dissolves into tears. "Ok we're definitely too tired for this. Go home."

Wiping away his tears Ryan asks, "Beckett where are you staying?"

"I sublet my place for the rest of my lease so I asked my dad. Besides Ryan were you going to have me sleep in the baby's room?"

"How'd you know?" he looks taken aback that she already knows that nugget.

Just smiling, she shrugs patting his arm, "We stopped hearing about the adventures of getting pregnant. And Javi can't keep his mouth shut." She throws Espo a look a just to get them riled up.

"He thought you were pregnant." Ryan tries to defend his reasoning behind telling Espo instead of her, "He thought it was gross."

"You..." She sucked in a deep breath, turned to Esposito, "You thought me being pregnant was gross?"

"I could exactly have him reacting like that when Jenny told him." Ryan shrugs, as Espo just looked at her.

"Beckett one day you'll be a great mom." Calm and steady, he tells her like a big brother that can't deny the fact that his sister has sex any longer.

There's a quiet moment for before she shakes herself, "Okay guys we're not nearly awake enough for these kinds of conversations."

"So why aren't you staying at Castle's?" Espo asks.

"Javi."

* * *

"_You bought a bed?" She doesn't even know why she's asking the question. The evidence is irrefutable, there's too much plastic on the ground for it to have been anything smaller and she can see that he hasn't had a chance to put the covers on the new one yet._

_He shrugs, slowly, "It's not like I had anything better to do, you've been working the entire time I've been here."_

"_I know I'm sorry." She really is. It's supposed to be the holiday weekend and he came down for it, but she's had to work every day including the holiday and he leaves in the morning because he still has a life in New York that needs attention too. It doesn't lessen the exasperation at furnishing a place that she doesn't want. "But did you really have to buy a new bed?"_

"_Yes, the one this place came with is miserable." He crosses his arms, rocking back on his heels, "If we're going to live down here and I'm not going to see you except in bed then we better have a good bed." _

"_What if we don't stay?" She flops down on the sofa looking up at him._

"_Is that an option right now?" He doesn't move._

"_I don't know Castle, this job it's so much office work and the field work is miserable. I never want to go to Nebraska again." That had been the longest three weeks in recent memory and it was the most boring case that they couldn't even prosecute._

"_But?" His eyebrows lift, "there's definitely a but in here."_

"_But..." she falters because she sounds ridiculous and there's no been no hint that it would even be possible but still he can't help but feel that this job might just give her the leverage she's been looking for. She takes a deep breath balls her hands in her lap, it's the first time she's ever put a voice to this possibility. "It might let me take down Bracken one day."_

_That takes the wind out of his sails, and he collapses down next to her, reaching out to cover her hands. If there's anything that he wants in the world, it's for her to be safe and to not have the threat of this vile politician hanging over their heads. For her to find the closure that she really does need even if she's been able to move one. Even for himself to just put an end to the person that tried to take her from him too many times._

_The sit together for a long minute before he pulls her up, "Come on let's get some sleep and then we can get some breakfast before my plane leaves in the morning?"_

"_Do you have to go?" She rotates into him, setting her chin on his shoulder wrapping her arms around him._

_He huffs at her temple pulling her in, "For now. We'll figure this out."_

* * *

**Happy Wednesday!  
**

**Babyrose**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

* * *

"We learn from failure, not from success!"  
― Bram Stoker, _Dracula_

* * *

The light on the town house steps is on when the cab pulled up to her dad's. Sighing, she handed the driver cash, before climbing out to get the bags. He's coming down the steps before she even has a chance to take a breath. "Dad."

"Katie," He sighs wrapping his arms around her pulling her in for a bone-crushing hug, which is exactly what she needs. "It's so good to have you home... Why aren't you staying with Rick?"

"Dad..." she's trying not to sound exasperated and heartbroken all at once but it slips out, "he's in Costa Rica with Alexis. He went down after her class ended. They're going to Belize and then Cancun before they come home."

He gratefully smiles, picking up suitcase up. "Too quiet. Well, you're always welcome here Katie Bug not to worry."

"Thanks Dad."

"I've got you set up in the guest bedroom. There's a couple of boxes from your apartment in there but you should have plenty of room. I suppose you'll be moving those to the loft if you come home… or I could drive them to DC if that's where you guys move."

Flicking on the light in the spare room, throwing shadows off the towering stack of boxes. "Dad I don't know if there is a _you guys_ right now."

Setting down the suitcase he turns to her and there's a smile on his face, "Katie... come here." Pulling her into a hug, "You guys said you were going to make it work with the new job, you guys will make it work," he tells her with confidence that she doesn't deserve.

That's when the tears start pouring out and for the first time in months, she lets herself cry. "I haven't talked to him in weeks, before he left and I haven't seen him since... oh god since he visited before Fourth of July, it's the end of August... Dad I miss him so much... and I don't know if it's going to work. DC is hot and muggy, and the drivers are horrible, and there's so many tourist and my coworkers are jackasses." She takes a deep breath trying to get herself under control, "What did I do dad?"

Her dad gives her a solid squeeze before letting her go, looking at her face. "Katherine Beckett I haven't seen you cry over a boy since your first boyfriend broke up with you in fifth grade because you told him he smelled."

She gives a watery laugh at that, as he wipes her tears from her cheeks. "I've never not been able to settle before dad. For the first time since mom, my work… my job… it isn't enough."

"Does he know that?" He gives her that same look he's always given her when he thinks something was her responsibility and she didn't do it.

It makes her feel like she's fifteen, "He left before I understood it. Before I could tell him."

"Well he'll be back soon enough, and you can tell him then. In the meantime, you have a case to close and you need some sleep to do that. A crying, sleep deprived Agent Beckett isn't what the NYPD needs for their consultant, or what Rick wants to come home to." Her dad gives her a kiss and moves to leave the room, "Let me know if you need anything."

Closing her eyes she takes a deep breath, she knows that her dad is right. She needs to get some sleep so that she can close this case and she can give the Attorney General's office an answer. One way or the other. So she strips off her clothes and wraps herself in the towel her dad left on the bed so that she can shower away the awful day, go to sleep and face tomorrow in her favorite place.

Where she belongs.

* * *

_It's their daily phone call that seems to be getting skipped more often than not in favor or texts that she's at work and can't or that he's already gone to bed. But she has to at least hear his thoughts on this. "I think I'm going to stay Castle." She tells him even as her gut twists that the very thought of staying._

"_But you hate it." He whines down the line, he's never been good about censoring his thoughts. Especially when he's tired and upset._

"_I'd like it more if you were here," she tells him. Every night when she gets home she wishes he was there, flitting around the little apartment in DuPont. Wishes that she could wake up to the familiar sounds of typing at least in a city that does sleep._

"_It still wouldn't be New York." He's pouting now. She can see it in her head, his lip out hair falling in his face. She just wants to touch him, rub her thumb over his cheekbone, push his hair out of his eyes._

"_It would be better if you were here," she insists._

"_For who? I still wouldn't see you and my family would be here." She can't fight him there she's calling him from her office at 10:30 on a Friday night._

_Pushing her own hair back, wishing this was easier. "Castle you said that you wanted to make it work." She reminds him, her tone biting and frustrated with the whole mess. _

_Now the adult Castle comes out, when he realizes that's she's very serious about what she's telling him. "That's when I thought you did too but right now it feels an awful lot like you choosing the distant possibility that one day you might be able to solve your mom's case over the reality of our relationship."_

"_That's not true,'" She stands up in an effort to make her point even though he can't see her. "Castle you have to know that's not true."_

"_I know you don't want to be true." He sound like he's' consoling a wounded child._

"_Rick," it's a broken breath of a word, her last defense. "I love you."_

"_I love you too Kate." Echoes back to her, as if it's from a happier time. Dead air fills the void for a minute and she knows that he's staring off into space just as much as she is. They're both fighting tears. "When I get back from Costa Rica we'll figure this out ok?" She can hear the swallow that follows._

"_What does that mean?" _

"_If you decide on DC that's fine Kate but you have to make an active choice to keep me in your life there too. I can't follow you around all day in that job, you have to put the effort in our relationship too Kate."_

"_If I do you'll be here?" It's a bright light at the end of what feels like a very long tunnel._

"_If you do I'll go anywhere with you Kate, but I can't wait around until it's convenient. That's not fair to either of us."_

"_You're right." She knows he's right, doesn't stop her heart from clenching at the idea of it._

"_Katherine Beckett we will figure this out." That sounds more like love than the actual words did earlier._

"_Have a safe trip." She tells him, hoping it's enough._

"_I'll email when I can but we're going to be out of service range for most of it." It's a warning that it's about to get harder._

"_Adventuring in the jungle" she smiles for the first time in the entire conversation, picturing him in jungle version of his Sasquatch hunting get up. Alexis is going to be so embarrassed._

"_I call you when I get back," he promises._

_"Ok," she tells dead air, nodding to her office wall, feeling worse than before._

* * *

**There will be more tomorrow! Special treat since I'll be out of town next week.**

**Thanks for reading!  
**

**Babyrose**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

* * *

"I'm booking myself a one way flight  
I gotta see the color in your eyes  
I'm telling myself I'm going to be alright  
Without you baby is a waste of time"

- Hunter Hayes

* * *

She's always liked the precinct best like this. First thing in the morning, during the summer. It's flooded with sunlight and sleepy quiet while the night shift is struggling to stay awake and the day shift is filtering in.

Pulling out her office chair she sits at her old desk and takes a moment to breath in and relish in the rightness of it. There's no M&Ms or elephants. The chain of paper clips he made isn't in a pile on the corner. But his chair is still there, and it's still her desk. Shaking her head, she left her hair down for the first time since she joined the agency and that feels good too. She can smile as she pulls a pile of phone records towards her.

She can smell the coffee, like an apparition of a former life, before it appears at her elbow. Then he's there and he's flopping into his chair, and he brought her coffee. "You always did like getting in absurdly early."

"Castle?" it flows out of her. He's haloed in the morning light and she's can't really see any of his features, just a glowing silhouette of what she would swear is her partner. That should be in Latin America and completely unreachable. "What are you doing here?"

"Hello to you too Kate."

Standing, blinking trying to keep the tears out of her eyes, "Are you really here?"

He chuckles, standing too bringing a hand to her face, cupping her chin. "Yes, I am. Are you having hallucinations? Because I think that means that you're going to need a psych eval especially if you want to keep working for the Federal Government."

"Castle," she laughs wrapping her arms around his shoulders, burying her face in his neck, threading one hand into his hair, "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Kate."

"I love you."

"Well there's no way I can questions that if you've been hallucinating me." She smacks him half-heartedly pulling away. "I love you too." He leans in covering her mouth with his for the first time months.

There's a clearing of a throat behind them, which forces them to break apart and remember their surroundings. "Agent Beckett, Mr. Castle. Pleasure to see you this morning."

"Sir." They nod in unison at the captain.

"Mr. Castle, I was under the impression that you were in Costa Rica at the moment."

Castle clears his throat and tangles his fingers with hers. "My daughter was homesick, said she wanted to come home, skip the rest of the trip. A little bird told me that Agent Beckett was in town to help with your investigation. So I'm here to give a helping hand."

The captain stares them down for just a second before she smiles, "The team back together again."

"So it would seem." Castle manages to sound apologetic for it.

"Well if any group could close this case it would be you four. Agent Beckett keep me informed of your progress, and the Assistant Attorney General Roth has been emailing me about an update."

"Sir?"

"It would seem he's concerned that you may not return to Washington." Gates is wearing a smile, a cross between smug and genuinely pleased.

"Kate?" Castle asks from behind her.

Swallowing hard, "Sir, I'm here to close a case."

"Ok," The captain purses her lips, "for what it's worth Kate? You're always welcome here."

"Thank you, Sir." She nods to her former boss and the woman walks into her office.

"Are we going to talk about it this time Kate?" Castle asks as she turns back to him.

"Of course we are." She nods firmly, "Just not now."

"Kate?" There's a warning tone in his voice, but it's mostly confusion.

"Why are you home early?" She redirects.

"Alexis sent me home. I was too mopey for her. She told me, _go home and pack a bag and go to DC._" He says in a falsetto, mocking his daughter. "Then I landed to a text message from Ryan saying that you're here so I didn't even go home. Why are you here?" His eyes narrow.

"The boys they called me for help on a case, I insisted." She stepped into him.

He wraps her hand in his, "That's my Beckett."

She snorts, lifting an eyebrow "Your Beckett?"

"The one and only." He smiles, tucks her hair behind her ear with his free hand, "I like your hair short, reminds me of when we met."

She tilts her head into his hand, "It's not nearly that short."

"Well no, but we really don't need to witness you growing that out again."

He's smiling so softly at her, and so utterly in love with her for the first time in months that her response lacks any bite, "You're lucky I love you."

"Don't I know it." He leans in.

"Beckett!" Comes across the bullpen from a harried looking Ryan, as he ran across the room.

"Ryan didn't I send you home last night?" She asks as he skids to a stop in front of them.

"Couldn't sleep. So I came back and Beckett..." He freezes, "Castle, hey buddy. When'd you get here?"

"This morning." He answers squeezing her hand.

"Ryan..." She lifts an eyebrow.

"Right," he nods tapping the folder in his hand, "Beckett its Bracken. It's tied to Bracken."

* * *

**Sorry guys this was supposed to go up before I left for vacation, and I ran out of time. But it's up now which means you have less time to wait for an update.**

**Babyrose**


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm a terrible person for letting this lapse for so long, but it's all written just needs posted. I hope you enjoy. Surprisingly enough their still not mine.**

* * *

Somewhere at the other end of the bullpen a pen rolls off the desk clattering as it falls to the floor before Castle swallows and manages to ask, "Bracken. Like US Senator from New York, evilest man alive William Bracken?" eyes going wide, fingers squeezing tight on hers.

"That Bracken." Ryan nods without blinking.

Her free hand hits her forehead pushing her hair back, taking the moment to collect her thoughts, process a game plan. "Ok, Ryan call Espo, get him in here. When he gets here then you're going to tell us exactly what you mean by that." She takes a deep breath and looks Castle in the eye, "And if need be I'm going back to DC and we're closing this case once and for all."

Twenty minutes later, they all sit in the AV room as Ryan shows them the video that he used to find the killer that allowed him to run facial recognition. Facial recognition that lead him to known associates and they just keep following it all the way down.

"There's no way he got that sloppy." Espo finally says into the silence that has cloaked the room. "For us to be able to follow it this far without any warrants."

Ryan shifts, "I don't think he really meant to, if it weren't for Beckett coming in with the Federal case, data and strings I don't think we would have gotten it." He shifts to look at her, "Beckett this _Lygothe _case that they've sent you up here on its tied to your mother's case. Bracken's in on this."

"Kate... we can take him down on this case." Castle steps up behind her, his pitched low as it disturbs her hair, "We can end him."

Spinning into him, "It won't be for the case that I want to end him for."

"But it will get us inside his organization. It will let us get inside just enough that he can pay for what he did to Luke Mason and everyone else tied to this case that got you sent here. And it will get you the federal task force to take him down. For everything. Including your mom and for the bullet that he put through you." He's holding her elbows forcing her to look at him.

"Castle..." Soft and unnerved, she whimpers, because this was not what she's intended when she came home, this was going to be it. She was going to close this case for the NYPD and then be done with it. "Rick, I want to come home." She searches his eyes for some shred of understanding, that she wants to chose him not the case that's followed her for years.

Ryan turns and starts doing something on the computer, Espo opens a file at random and begins to read. Castle's thumb comes to hold her chin in place as he tells her with fierce determination and unremitting faith in her. "You can do that too, but we can get this case far enough along and tell people in the right places so that we can end him."

The silence is thundering as she stares into his sparkling blue eyes, god she missed him so much. She can feel the boy's eyes on her too, waiting for her to take the lead. This is it she can feel it. It's not at all how she thought it would come about but here it is. Lacing her fingers through Castle's she nods to him, and turns back to her team.

"Let's bring him down."

* * *

"Geez Beckett, could this place be any less homey?" Castle groans as he enters the apartment ahead of her. Taking in the distinct lack of decor beyond what was already there, tasteful but unremarkable artwork on the walls and a distinct beige feeling.

She chuckles behind him kicking her heels into the front closet. "Oh probably, I could not have furniture."

"But it's crap furniture at that." He whines dropping his bag, spinning around to wrap his arms around her waist. "At least you have a good mattress."

"That's only because you insisted on buying a better one when you came down for the 4th," she teases. "I missed you," she smiles lifting up on her toes to press a kiss to his lips wrapping her fingers around his ears.

Pulling back just enough to rest her head against his breathing him in, "Are we ok?" she finally got up the courage to ask.

He hums back at her, "Are we ok?" he's mulling the question over.

"With the case, and the summer... and everything. We keep saying we'll be ok but..." pulling back to look at him, "Castle, are we ok?" she asks again.

The thumb that was sweeping across her rib cage comes to a halt and his hand flattens out against her spine. "We're going to be ok Kate. We will. We'll put in the time and we'll get back to better than ok."

He presses his lips to her forehead staying there for a minute in the personalitless foyer of her DC apartment. Eventually, she shifts, stifling a yawn. "Come on, let's make use of that mattress you insisted on buying."

"Oh good, because it's not like I took the red eye to New York City this morning, and then a shuttle to DC this evening." He yawns dramatically letting her go so that he can stretch.

"Not up for other activities there Mister Castle?" She teases running her hand down his chest to hook into the belt of his jeans.

He groans low, and feral, pulling her in for a brutal kiss that fades quickly into something that makes her knees weak and has her clutching his shirt to remain upright. He's the one that breaks away this time, "I wish I wasn't too exhausted to follow that up."

She laughs wrapping herself around him in a quick hug, "We've got plenty of time," she promises, releasing him.

"Oh we do?" he asks following her back into the bedroom of the little apartment, pulling their suitcases with him.

"Um hmm..." she affirmed with a nod pulling pajamas out of a drawer for both of them, "I hope you packed a couple of suits, no way they're going to let you into the Department of Justice building in jeans."

"Hey now, I'm your partner and I know how to be appropriate when necessary." She snorts and quirks an eyebrow at him. "Ok, I know how to dress appropriately at all times," he acquiesces.

"That's more like it," she grins at him, before despairing into the bathroom.

He's lying in bed all the lights on and his eyes closed when she comes out, it makes her heart go soft in a gooey, something that she never would have thought possible. Flipping off the lights, she crawls in next to him and settles her head on his chest, listening to the quiet drumming rhythm of his heartbeat. Plunking at a loose thread on the undershirt he's wearing she works up the nerve to just ask what's on her mind, because the last time she didn't she made this mess. "Castle, when can I have my ring back?"

"When I'm ready," he grunts without opening his eyes, catching her restless hand with one of his own.

"What's that suppose to mean?" She turns her head so that her chin she can see him open his eyes in the moonlit room.

"You told me we have to figure out this mess," his thumb rubs the spot where the ring would go, "Then I was supposed to get it fitted and propose in a manner that I thought more appropriate, you were rather particular about it." He cranes his neck to dust a kiss on her cheek, "So you'll have to wait."

"I'm going to regret that aren't I?" She muses, settling down sleep tugging at the fraying edges of her thoughts.

"Probably, in the moment, but it'll be a great story."

"You always have been all about the story."

"Only the good ones. And you Katherine Beckett are a really good story."

"You're getting loopy."

"You're making existential observations."

"Go to sleep Castle."

"Only if you do."

* * *

**Thanks for reading.**

**Babyrose**


	9. Chapter 9

**Happy Thursday!**

* * *

"Don't we look like a boring pair of government stooges," Castle all but moans under his breath as they sit outside the Attorney General's office waiting to be called in. Like a pair of miscreants waiting to go into the principal's office.

It takes everything in her not to laugh, so she smirks and rolls her eyes. They're both wearing boring black suits, she's got a white button down on and the four inch black leather pumps she conceded to buy when it became clear that her regular collection of shoes would be just a little too fashion forward for the office. The only color on her is a pair of amethyst studs he gave her, only visible because she's pulled her hair up in a bun again for this office. Castle has a little more opting to wear a sky blue shirt and navy tie, if it weren't clear that the combination of just those two, let alone the suit, cost more than a week's pay for half the floor she would agree. Her fingers ghost over his arm and then squeeze in what she hopes is acknowledgement and thanks.

Before she's able to say a word back though the Attorney General himself comes striding into the waiting area talking to an aide who's scratching out notes behind him. He grins knowingly at the sight of her and Castle nodding to them both. "Give me a minute to wrap this up and then I'll come grab you."

Seated behind his desk, he's shed his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt as he pulls out files when his assistant ushers them in two minutes later. "Agent Beckett, I have to admit that I'm surprised to see you back here already. I fully expected to have to call you and have you turn me down again." She can feel Castle raise an eyebrow next to her, but he doesn't say anything. "And this must be Mr. Castle?" The AG stands raising his hand to shake her partner's. "Pleasure to meet you, my wife was thrilled to learn I'd managed to snag the inspiration for Nikki Heat."

Castle does his part and smiles, with a small laugh. "Well I'm not giving her up anytime soon." It sounds light and loving but there's an underlying threat in it, even as he shakes the man's hand.

The AG doesn't blink just nods, like something was said in a secret man code, and turns back to her. "So Beckett I'm to understand that you've made a few huge connections that could help us completely close the case, and possibly a few more." It's a statement, he already knows it's true, or certainly believes it's possible.

Clearing her throat, she hands over the folder with the copy of everything, including her statement regarding Bracken and her case. Absolutely everything. As a team they'd spent yesterday carefully laying everything out for Gates, who to her never ending admiration made no comments about Montgomery other than to make sure that she had all the facts straight. Then as a team, they made the decision to put together a full report for the Attorney General deciding that if they got all the information down that it would only make it easier for the feds to take Bracken and his empire down.

"Sir, inside is everything regarding the Lythgoe Case, what we've determined with the information I was provided when I was assigned to the case and what the NYPD's 12th precinct came up with."

"Beckett, there is far too much information in here for just that." His head is cocked, he knows where this is going, he has to you don't get this job and be oblivious to these kind of things.

She stays as formal as possible, she not going to mess this up, or misplace any blame. "Sir, I have reason to believe either I was not fully briefed on the case to start with or we've uncovered a connection to a political figure that my team and I have a background in dealing with, but have been unable to bring him in for his crimes. In the course of my investigation with the 12th precinct we discovered a link between the two."

"You're speaking about U.S. Senator William Bracken for the state of New York. The same senator that sits on the committee that oversees the Department of Justice?" He's staring her down, leaning across the table, making himself look as imposing as possible, hoping to intimidate her.

But she's not going to blink, this is her chance. "Yes, Sir."

"And you want to take him down?"

"Yes Sir." She nods.

"Are you going to try and tell me that it's not personal for you?"

She doesn't hesitate, "No."

That's when he smiles, "No? Really, so why should I let you stay on this case, if it's going to get personal?"

"Because I'm the only one with the drive to close it. This man took countless lives to get where he is. Luke Mason, was just the latest in a laundry list of people. People that include my captain, my mother, and myself. He's threatened the lives of those I love, the city I love and the country I serve for far too long. We have been presented with a chance to end his reign of destruction and I will not let that opportunity go. The weight of the federal government would be appreciated but if you are unable to proceed due to a fear of what he might do as chair of the committee that oversees your department then I understand."

She takes a deep breath, pulls it deep, allowing it to settle her as she plows on. "But I became a cop and I took this job because I believe in the justice system and that people that who have committed a crime will face the consequences of their actions. If I can't do it here then it's time that I made my decision."

She feels as though they've been shoved under a microscope as she watches her boss's boss study both of them for a solid minute. The United States Attorney General leans back in his chair and steeples his fingers before he says a word. "You really are remarkable Agent Beckett, more so than any evaluation could have told us, and certainly no interview would have told me how far you would go or how fast you'd get there."

"Sir, it wouldn't have been possible without my team at the 12th." She interjects trying to move past the praise section of this conversation.

"A team under the leadership of a remarkable woman." He continues anyway. "Currently, I only have one team cleared to work on this case and they've only made a miniscule amount of progress. It is tied to Lythgoe case but really it was a minor offshoot that connected the Senator and it's time we started looking into it more thoroughly."

Picking up the folder she'd given him, "I'm willing to bet this is only a basic summary of what you have already."

"Yes Sir."

"Well we're going to have to push through your clearance on this, and I suppose you want your team in New York involved."

"Yes sir, Detectives Kevin Ryan and Javier Esposito as well as their Captain Victoria Gates."

The AG's eyes shift to Castle, "What about you Mr. Castle?"

"What would you like to know?" Responds, trademark relaxed grin on his face.

"Where do you stand on this case?"

"Right here. I'm not going anywhere. I'm the one that unearthed the information that started Agent Beckett's involvement five years ago, in a vain attempt to give a character and a person I was just being to understand an origin story." She can see him fighting the need to look at her. but he keeps his eyes on her boss, "I'm here until the wheels fall off and the story is done."

"I'm to understand that you two are romantically involved."

"Yes Sir," Castle states calmly. "And if you think you're going to use that as a reason to stop me then guess again. She bled out under my hands, helped me rescue my kidnapped daughter, nearly froze to death next to me, dropped into the Hudson with me, and stood by when I pulled all the wires out of a nuclear bomb. As long as it's this case I'm here."

She doesn't know if she should be proud of him, or smack him for being so ballsy. The office is reduced to the hum of the air conditioner, and she hardly dares to breathe.

The AG doesn't address the issue, instead he shifts his focus back to her, "You're not coming back when this is done are you?"

"No Sir." She can feel Castle's eyes on her now, they hadn't talked about it but that speech about being here until the wheels fell off, she wants him there and this job won't let that happen.

Finally, the AG smiles, "Well then I suppose we better get your whole team cleared on the case and everyone up to speed." He stands now and she feels powerful as she rises to meet him Castle at her side.

"Thank you Sir."

"Don't thank me yet this is a mess. But if anyone can close it would be your team and Mr. Castle." He leans across the table, "It was a pleasure to met you Mr. Castle, make sure to give Andy your info and we'll get it all cleared. I'll have the team on the case now brief you this afternoon. In the meantime I'll have all the files sent over."


	10. Chapter 10

**The last new Castle free Monday before season 6. Rejoice :)**

* * *

The door to her office snicks shut behind them and she turns on him pushing him into the corner where they won't be seen. Her hips collide with his and she's coaching his mouth open with her tongue before he realizes what's happening. Then his hands are on her, sliding under her shirt, warm palms bunching the pressed fabric, straining the buttons at the front.

They let themselves get lost in it, in each other, for a while. Eventually he's the one that pulls back, pressing a kiss to her forehead and just holding her.

"Thank you," she murmurs.

"For what?"

"Everything... For all your words... You have all these beautiful words." She whispers into his jaw. Pulling back just enough to look him in the eye, pressing her hips more firmly into his. "I fell in love with your words long before I ever met you. Then you were there, if they had just been words I would have been able to walk away from you. But they're not just words and they never have been for you. Every promise you make you follow with action just like in that room. You just told the most powerful attorney in the country that you were on case until the wheels fell off, that's why I fell in love with you because you were always more than just words. I can't walk away from someone that does that. I want to close this case… I want to go home and build a life with you in our city."

He looks a little dumbstruck for just a moment before capturing her lips again in a reverent kiss. "Ok, Kate. Ok"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

She loops her arms around his shoulders and buries her head in the crook of his neck."Can I have my ring back now?"

"Kate you don't have to prove to me that you want this. I know you do." He breathes into her hair.

"Are you sure because that feels like it's been the problem since I told you to get the ring sized. It's every fight we've had."

His palm comes up to hold her head, as he cradles her against his body. "Oh Kate, I've been fighting to just stay in your thoughts since I can't be here that's all. I promise that's all I'm not going anywhere. If you want to stay in DC when this is over then we can stay. You just have to make time for us as well."

"I hate this job," she swears against his skin.

"Ok, you don't have to stay, but you still have to make time for us if you're a detective or decide to do anything else that you set your mind too. One day I'm not going to be able to follow you around. One day I'm going to have to stay home with the babies and then shuffle them to preschool and dance class and t-ball games. Besides someone will have to be the breadwinner in the family." She can feel his grin, permeating the air around them.

She pulls her head back so she can grin at him from his shoulder, this is the banter that familiar and the very definition of their relationship at the best of times, "Oh so you're just giving up writing?"

He shrugs, "Why not? Women can be the breadwinner these days."

"Well I have news for you we're going to have to move out of the loft. There's no way I can cover it."

"Oh well in that case I better keep writing even when we have kids. But seriously we have to make time for this, for us, outside of the office too."

She leans away from him, amusement coursing through her, they've never talked about it before, but he's just so very sure of this picture in his mind. "Just how many babies are we having?"

His thumb sweeps back and forth for a minute as he smiles at her, "I was thinking at least two, a boy and a girl."

"A boy and girl." She looks amused, soft, and happy for the first time in months and he really likes her like his. "Well we're going to have to break the news gently to Espo, apparently he had a rather revolted reaction to the idea of it."

"Punk." He breathes leaning in and capturing her lips, in just a brush of love and affection for her and her boys.

"We should get to the information before they set the briefing." She groans coming to the happy realization that this will be the last time, after this they're going to be her cases again from the ground up. She won't be jumping in on a case that's half built by people she doesn't know. "I should call Gates and let her know what's going on."

"Want me to call the boys?" he asks pulling out his own phone.

"You just wanna brag that stood up the Attorney General and got your way." She smirks because she kind of wants to brag too.

He gasps in mock horror, "You wound me Agent Beckett, I would never be so petty."

She doesn't dignify that with an answer she simply rolls her eyes and sits down at her desk. "Go call them, I have to talk to Captain Gates."

* * *

"You're telling me that they've been building a case against Senator Bracken for the last three years and they never thought to get in on the investigation related to your shooting or Montgomery's death?" Castle looks up from the file, disbelief evident on his face.

She is right there with him, everything in the files sent down to her office indicates that they have been looking into Bracken for years. Long before she knew that he was behind her own personal black hole. "The evidence we have here doesn't even link to our case, this is stuff is about everything else he's done." Collapsing back against the chair, she scrubs a hand over her face. "I should have let him die. At least it would be done."

"Kate..." he tries to scold.

You wouldn't have saved him and you know it." She looks at him across the folders, disappointed with herself, disappointed with the federal government.

"That's why I'm not a cop. Saving him from an explosion would have let us all sleep better at night but it wouldn't have brought closure to anyone tangled in his vast web of lies deceit and murder bought with campaign funds from invisible soldiers." Reaching across the table, he grabs her hand, "That's what you do Kate, that's what you're good at. Knowing that sometimes the right thing isn't always the easy thing but doing the right thing is what got you here and is what will bring him down."

She looks at him for a long minute. "See you always have the right words."

"Yeah. But now it's time for some action Agent Beckett." He says stacking up the files.

Glancing at her father's watch, "Shoot that briefing is in 5 minute on the other side of the building."

"We've got time." He stands slowly.

"Yeah, I've gotten lost enough in this circular building to know that it takes at least 10 minutes to get anywhere you can't see from your desk. Let's go."

* * *

**So all the government building in DC (for the most part anyway) are built in these huge circles around a courtyard, that has nothing in it. Making it impossible to go from one place to the other in any reasonable span of time. They also have their own way of numbering things as a result. **

**Have a good day!**

**Babyrose**


	11. Chapter 11

**It finally feels like fall, and I don't think I've ever been happier about that.**

* * *

The conference room on the homicide floor has been transformed into a miniature FBI Command room. She hasn't seen this much equipment since they were in the CIA bunker a couple of years ago. She's standing off to the side watching the local techs carry it in to wire the precinct. The boys aren't in yet, Gates apparently gave them a couple of hours off this morning with the foresight that they probably wouldn't see much time off in the coming weeks. Castle had gone out to get the breakfast for everyone. She can feel them gearing up, as all the pieces coming into place.

"Once they're all set up, I expect that you'll gather the troops." Captain Gates materializes at her elbow watching the invasion. "Explain to them what we're doing, the strict parameters of how this is to be handled."

"Sir, are you sure that you are ok with us running the operation out of the 12th?" She looks over at the woman who just two years ago she was certain would be the worst thing that happened to her job. Now she's the only reason they're still standing.

Victoria Gates turns her head, lifting one perfectly groomed eyebrow. "They wouldn't be here if I didn't want them here... Beckett, this is your team and these people work here… Close the case Kate."

"And then?"

Gates gives her a once over, "Then the New York Police department would like to discuss your future," before turning on her heel and heading back into her office. She takes a deep breath, and looks at the room. The elevator dings across the way, opening to Castle and the boys clutching bags and boxes of breakfast food. Home, she smiles to herself and crosses to take some things out Castle hands before he drops something in his enthusiasm.

"Hi." He grins at her, as she takes a box of coffee from him and bag of cups. She can't help it as she brushes her mouth over his in thanks, before heading into the conference room. Helping to set everything out as the combination of uniforms, detectives, and FBI agents file in so that she could dole out the assignments. The invasion that she would normally despise is worth every moment if it means that this can be the end.

Clearing her throat, she takes her coffee from Castle and turns to the small crowd that she has gathered. The door clicks behind Gates and she starts on the details as Ryan and Esposito passing out case files, the newest uniform is taking notes in the corner, and Castle is standing beside her like he's supposed to be.

They're in the small room for nearly three hours as she answers questions, the boys field some of them, Gates lays down the rules for reporting, and an IT guy gives directions on the secure server separate from the NYPD. Castle's fingers tighten on her elbow every now and then when she's taken a backseat on the answers, the reassuring pads of his fingers sending jolts of warmth through her jacket.

* * *

There are federal forensic accountants pouring through new account information that the new federal warrants have allowed them to pull. Techs are pouring over video feed, cell phone data, credit card transactions, data stretching back years. Some stuff the government has had and hasn't gotten to, some is new. They keep sending email updates, every hour or so there's a constant flurry of activity. The head tech insisting that if they can at least get something to look for then they might have an easier time. She's having a hard time getting through to him that they don't even know what they're looking for besides anomalies. Still she doesn't envy those that got stuck with the campaign records there's billions of dollars over the course of Bracken's career and it doesn't help that he's been building a war chest to launch a run for president, at least that's what they can assume based on the size of his coiffures.

At the twelfth, they're huddled in the conference room pouring through a couple of stacks of prison records. Castle had the bright idea a couple of days ago to interview professional killers that had been caught, see if they could find a common thread, work it backwards up the chain. A search of the records found several hundred inmates all over the country that hit the basic parameters. It took some time to narrow it down but they were getting there. The forty-eight files sitting on the table were the ones in the region that had been picked up since her mom died. Forty had some sort of military background, nine were dead, three of natural causes, the others killed in prison. Now they're going through what was left to make some final decisions, whom to interview, how to cover their tracks.

Ryan yawned wide enough that his jaw popped in the silent room, earning him a glare for Esposito. Catching the deterioration mood, three days of looking at files isn't what they were meant for, she pushed away from the table glancing at her watch. "Coffee break. Let's go get some fresh air guys, come back to it in a little bit."

Castle looks thrilled at the idea, "Oh good, because I'm definitely not cut out for Federal work. This is miserable three days of reading files looking for a common thread."

"Yeah man, I'm never going in to work for the feds. Give me your basic husband kills wife so that he and his mistress can live on her life insurance and I'm all over it." Mumbles Espo as he stretches.

"Nobody said that conspiracies were sexy fieldwork," she throws back.

"Well if it ends this and we can all move on with our lives I'll spend as long as I need to figuring out who we should talk to." Ryan smiles, stretching as they all head for the elevator.

She hooks her pinky around Castle's as they wait for the elevator, "We've only got four more files to go through, and we have some promising people already."

"Next step prison visits. Oh goody," Castle sighs.

The elevator opens and the four of them stagger in, it'll only be a couple of days. "We're going to have be careful though cover our tracks, just in case Bracken or someone working for him is watching." Espo shrugs his jacket on.

She blows out a breath, knowing Esposito is right. "Take a break everyone. Let's get some coffee and talk about anything besides the case." They all kind of look at her like she's grown a third eye. She's normally the one that presses past the point of reasonableness, but if there's one thing that three months in DC has taught her, it's that if you never let up, it will never fall into place and you'll just be miserable. Purposely ignoring their stares she turns to look at Ryan, "How's Jenny?"

At the mention of his pregnant wife, he lights up, a huge grin blossoming across his face as he pulls out his phone opening up pictures, "I felt her kick for the first time last night..." he starts rattling about all of these things and the happiness is just pouring out of him. Her heart clenches at the thought of that, and how much she wants that too. Castle's fingers thread through her's to properly hold her hand, and she can feel his eyes burning into the side of her head just watching her. She just squeezes his hand and asks all the appropriate questions regarding the baby. Allowing Esposito to offer up Javier as a potential name, arguing that it could be a uni-sex name.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**

**Babyrose**


	12. Chapter 12

She never could understand it, but it seems like every time she spends any time in a prison it's dark and gloomy outside. The last two days have been no exception, the first of many fall days seemed to be upon them and instead of brilliantly colored leaves, they are being treated to pouring rain with no end in sight. Making the prison feel cold and damp, even in the interior interrogation room that Castle and herself have set up shop.

The sounds of the prison filtering in around them. The buzzers announcing the rattling of metal as bars open and close, footfalls of guards, and the shuffle of those doomed to spend untold number of years in the halls, kept captive as much for their own punishment as to remove them from society. Even as a cop, being here makes her shudder with the idea of so many criminals in one place. The scalding temperature of the shower last night was only one-step to try to remove the ordeal from her body only to have to repeat it again today.

Castle looks like he didn't get any sleep, the reality of prison haunts him more than he wants to admit. He sat at his computer for hours last night words coming in fits and starts and then just nothing. When she finally did convince him to crawl into bed and coaxed him to sleep next to her, he didn't sleep well. He thrashes when he has nightmares, and talks mostly incoherently, really the only thing that she understood was that he seemed to be reliving every interview that got under his skin in the last five years. A frightening number of them live in his subconscious. Eventually, she gave up and made coffee before rousing him and suggesting they watched a movie until it was a reasonable hour. They'd sat in bed and watched a _Monsters Inc. _in the gloomy pre-dawn until it was time to get up and head back up to Rykers.

They only have three interviews left to do this morning and then they're going to meet the team back at the 12th and see where it's gotten them. Ryan and Esposito had gone to the federal penitentiary in New Jersey and two federal agents had been sent to a prison in Pennsylvania to interview a few outliers. Their report in last night hadn't indicated anything of interest.

The first two interviews were a bust. The first was a hit man but for a cartel and didn't have any interest in talking to them. As far as he was concerned, talking to the cops was going to get him killed immediately so he stared at a blank wall behind them as they fired questions at him, looking to provoke anything out of him. The second one was a bad hit man and had gotten caught on his first job stateside, he'd been hired by a jealous husband to kill his wife's lover and he'd messed up when he'd killed the wrong man.

She was just beginning to give up any hope on getting anything out of these interviews as the third inmate shuffles in. Ben Borger had finally been correctly identified through CODIS after he'd spent three months in prison booked as John Doe. He'd been a lieutenant commander when he'd retired from the Navy. A trained sharpshooter and he'd just disappeared off the map when he'd come back to the states. With no living family to keep track of him, and no one he'd known during or before his third tour had heard from him since he'd been dishonorably discharged in 2004 he'd been able to just disappear off the map. Picked up for drunk driving and carrying a firearm without a permit in 2009. The sniper rifle the arresting officer found in the back seat was linked to at least six hits they know of, but he refused to flip on any of his employers.

She was expecting it to be the same thing as the first guy, but then the prisoner walked in and flinched. Out of practice, he stood for a minute just looking at them before the guard nudged him forward. Taking a seat, he leaned back and just studied her. "Mr. Borger, I am Special Agent Kate Beckett, this is my associate Richard Castle we'd like to ask you a few questions about your previous employers."

"You seem to think that I had multiple," He cocks his head and looks at her.

"Mr. Borger you're a hit man, of course you had multiple employers." She doesn't have time for this game, "I'm interested just one. Someone that might have had you do multiple jobs, not just hits but surveillance, clean up jobs… Professional jobs."

He's quiet of a long moment, "What do I get for talking?"

She has nothing to offer, he's just judging how desperate they are. "Nothing, but the satisfaction of knowing you helped bring him down."

A buzzer sounds in the distances and voices filter down the hallway and go quiet again before he answers, "I can think of one employer that fits."

Castle shifts, asks the obvious question, "What can you tell us about him?"

Borger just looks at them, eyes on Castle for a brief moment before it shifts back to her, as if he's trying to place her. "There was a group of us, all ex-military working for the same company. Didn't know who they were, knew better than to ask." He shrugs with complete indifference he knows he's not going anywhere and he's fine with that.

She feels Castle shift beside her, impatience, irritation, but he's leaning forward, following up, "All the same branch of the military?"

Borger scowls, "Nah, we didn't really interact but there's differences, you pick up on them when you've been in long enough."

"Could you determine which ones?" She crosses her legs hoping that he'll take it for calm when her stomach is actually burning with the idea that maybe they're going to get some answers.

"Nah, like I said knew better than to ask." He shakes his head, not offering any further information.

"Everyone a sniper?" Castle asks.

He snorts now, as if he's amused with the line of questioning, "Sharp shooter, and no. Some were trained in hand-to-hand they did different stuff, can't always go picking off people at a distance calls way to much attention. Some of them were creepers in the night, following people around infiltrating their lives, surveillance stuff. Some did all of it."

"How'd you guys communicate?" She prompts.

"With each other?" He clarifies, not waiting for an answer, "We didn't."

Castle's confused by that, "Then how'd you know that there was a group of you?"

"Little things he said, occasionally he'd let us know that there were a couple of you out to complete one job, subtle not out right, but the kind of thing that read '_you don't complete it you don't get paid_'." He's watching them. Eye's shifting between Castle and herself.

She makes a note on the pad that's been sitting on her lap. "Was there a retainer fee? Did he keep all of you on stand by for a standard amount and then paid extra when jobs were completed?

"I was. I doubt he does it any more though how many people can one guy need dead?" He actually appears to contemplate the idea of. "It's probably easier now than it was even five years ago to hide the trail, but not everyone is a pro at hiding their cash. Most of us choose to get paid in cash though. Easier to hide, harder to trace."

He's not as smart as he thinks he is, but he's not dumb, so she goes for the obvious question, "Who were you working for?"

He actually chuckles, leaning towards that, "Agent, if I knew I would have sold him out long ago, he sold me a bill of goods. Told me that the American Government had trained me to serve my country and if I worked for him I could keep serving my country. Turns out the targets were just regular Americans that happened to be in his way. There was a cop he was having me keep watch on for a while. Said that she was getting too interested, too invested. She dropped it though, never knew why. Not that it matters, 'cause the next day feds froze my bank accounts and brought me in."

She swallows deeply refusing to look at Castle and acknowledge that Bracken has been watching her for a lot longer than they'd really like to believe. That Montgomery was pulling strings to keep her safe for as long as she knew him. "Why are you talking now?" She asks keeping her voice steady.

Borger just leans back and smirks at her, "Part of the training Agent, never forget a mark. Your hair is lighter and you're seeing the sun more often but I don't forget a face, especially not one as pretty as yours."

"The cop he had you stalking, you knew it was me?"

"Figure if you finally showed up here, asking me questions, you're on his trail. Since he's letting me rot in jail, he might as well join me. Just wish I had more to give."

"But you don't know who he is?" Castle questions.

"Well I would guess he's a politician of some breed, based on the way he talks, sells ideas, plans," he waves a hand to illustrate his point, "but, no I don't have anything more than the recollection of a computer modified voice over a burner cell and a woman in a shadowy parking garage taking orders from a masked man in a black SUV."

"You recognized me, would you recognize the woman if we found her?"

"Only met her twice, studied you for a lot longer, but it's possible."

She ponders the ex-navy sharp shooter, turned hit man that's been in jail on multiple counts of murder for hire and will serve out the rest of his life for what this bastard convinced him was his civic duty. She can only hope that the precautions they took in arranging this meeting, keep him safe but she's not foolish enough to think it will, just hopes that it will prevent him from getting a glimpse of her hand. "We can put you in segregated, keep you safe."

He shrugs, "It won't matter, if he really wants me gone then I'm gone. I'm not too worried about it though."

"Why not?" Castle cocks his head.

Looking at the guard, Borger smiles at him, "I've heard the whispers, the Dragon is only afraid of one thing and that is you little lady. Watch your back because he'll stop at nothing to get where he wants to be."

A predatory grin creeps over her face and it's the first time she's felt like she has the upper hand, "He's tried I keep coming for him."

The guard takes Borger by the elbow and shuffles him out, leaving them in heavy silence, as Castles hand falls to her thigh, he squeezes for a moment. "Do you think the tracks are carefully enough covered?"

"Well according to all the records, Agents Lowe and Parker visited an inmate booked under Jason Hoff and a series of other inmate in connection to the Lythgoe case." She closes her portfolio, rising into her full height in the heels she dug out of Castle's closet this morning.

Standing next to her, "That doesn't help anyone if he's got someone watching."

"If that's true then he knew before this, and he's going to be trying to cover his tracks more closely and the increased activity on his end will give us something." Leading the way back out to where they checked in to retrieve their phones. "I'm going to have them pull every woman that's been on Bracken's payroll in some function."

Castle shakes his head, "We need women that have been with him for a long time, to trust her to be the face of his operation, if she's not still with him then she's dead."

"So women that have been working for him since city council, or possibly have died under mysterious circumstances in the last 20 years. I'll get Agent Harris to plug in the parameters maybe by the time we get back will have some information to run with."


	13. Chapter 13

"Beckett!" Ryan calls from his desk, phone cradled between his shoulder and head, waving them in the direction of the conference room as he wraps up his call. The bullpen is literally humming with activity. There's been a triple homicide on fifth and Lex so most of the uniforms and another team of detectives is on that. But there's the FBI agents, the agents she co-opted from the New York Field Office of Attorney General that are on the case, and then the uniforms that are working with them. Two areas have sprung up, one end focused on the murder boards at the far end of the bullpen, information free for all to witness. At the other end people going in and out of a conference room with of the blinds closed and the door only opening to let someone in or out, secrecy paramount. Shedding her jacket at her desk, still bare of personal effects but her desk nonetheless, she heads into the conference room Castle tripping on her heels.

She's barely settled in the chair when Espo bangs in Ryan hanging up his call behind him. "Our second interview was a jackpot," Espo starts laying out how the identified Stephen Hutton. A former intelligence officer had been caught and was currently awaiting trial on a trafficking charge. But once he'd been shown a series of pictures, including of one herself, he all the sudden started talking about this company that recruited him to follow a rookie cop, and he was to follow her and monitor her cases, he was to alert someone if she started looking into cold cases. He was reporting to a mysterious man, that he never met but passed order through a woman that worked for the paramilitary group that had hired him.

Castle is jittering with it, the potential connection. He launches into his own description of their final meeting and how their prisoner had a similar story. "We need to find a connection between Borger and Hutton. Something that ties them to that woman."

"The woman could just be from one of Bracken's many employees," Esposito counters.

She hasn't said anything yet. She's not sure she's even taken a breath since the door closed behind Ryan and Esposito. Blowing all the carbon dioxide that's built up in her lungs, she looks at her three boys, they did it, they found the lead. The one string to unravel the entire thing. She isn't even sure how she feels, because until she has the arrest warrant and the entire case neatly detailed on the Attorney General of the United States desk, there is the possibility that it will all fall apart on her again, and she cannot and will not fall down the rabbit hole again. This is her last chance, they don't take the dragon down this time then he's someone else's monster to slay because she's done. This is it. After this, this ends she is going to live her life and that it is. She is going to live her life with Castle in New York City.

She looks at her boys, her boys that have followed her to the end of the earth. "Bring in the troops. We're going to run this to ground."

* * *

"Aranston Solutions. Aranston Solutions, that's who Borger and Hutton worked for, plus I was going over the financials of Lockwood and Maddox and they worked for them too," Ryan rattled off. Snapping her fingers at the nearest uniform, "Parker, get me a list of all the female employees of Aranston Solutions going back twenty years, with DMV pictures."

* * *

The wall is lined with DMV photos. Someone conceded to the number and printed them as 4x6's rather than the standard 8x10's. They're taped to the blinds of the conference room, pertinent facts scratched on the back. All the lights are on and she brought in an extra lamp to counteract the fact that they've papered the walls. She's pulling pictures off the wall, people that don't fit. An intern from his last campaign is at school in California, the legislative assistant that's never been to New York she's too young, his old press secretary from the campaign she was living in Florida at the time. That's where Castle finds her, "Beckett?"

She lifts her eyes off of two people that look oddly similar but their ages are different, and one worked in the legal department of the campaign and when the campaign was over went to Aranston, the other worked for Aranston but now they can't find record of her anywhere before or after her stint at Aranston. "Hey Castle, you bring coffee?" She doesn't know what time it is, but she could really use the jolt of caffeine, she's only made it through a quarter of the photos. Pushing back the sleeves of her shirt to get a glance at her watch, "It's two."

He chuckles, "Yeah, what about some sleep and then we can come back to Bracken's House of Woman with Questionable Morales."

She snorts at that, "That's horrible," stepping over a pile of pictures to get to him, run her hand down his arms. "Most of these women have no idea that he's the monster he is, they just think he's a politician."

"Well not for long, because we're going to expose the underbelly of his organization to the world." Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulls her in, brushes a kiss to her temple, "But it will be a lot easier on our brains if we get some sleep."

The exhaustion hits her in a wave as she breathes in his cologne, "Let's get some sleep Castle." She sets the two questionable photos on the table with the four other photos that have struck her as questionable and then she follows Castle out to her desk, lets him help her into her coat, take her hand, lead her out onto the dark streets of New York and into the back of cab to whisk her to the comfort of the loft.

* * *

She wakes early, well earlier than Castle. Her phone told her it was 9am, and that the boys had decide to take the early shift, and they weren't expecting her and Castle until after lunch. Making coffee, she settled into his office chair booting up her laptop, working on the reports, trying to keep up with them so that everything that would need filed was done as soon as possible. "We're going to have to get you your own desk," Castle sighs padding out of the bedroom in his robe, leaning over to press a kiss to her forehead as he settles on the corner of the desk.

"I imagine we're going to have to do quite a bit of rearranging, I'm not giving up that chair I had in my bedroom." She tells him, settling back in the large leather chair to watch him think about it, about building their lives together here.

"You have so many knick knacks," he practically groans and she can't help but laugh. "Maybe we should just move we need to find somewhere bigger for all of our stuff." He looks down at her looking for her reaction.

She doesn't say anything, instead choosing to push herself up to standing and step into him. Arms coming to rest on his shoulders, "Oh I don't know, I like it here," her forehead comes to rest against his when he tips her forward with fingers on her hips before sliding his arms around her, "with you," she finishes. His lips come up to meet her's in a soft melding of skin and she sighs into him.

"Come back to bed," He exhales into her collar bone, his hands sweeping under her t-shirt, as his nose nudges the collar aside so that he can reached the light freckles skin that cover her shoulder.

"Someone is keeping me here." She breathes into his ear, fingers tunneling into his hair so that she can tip his head back and kiss him thoroughly before pulling away, striding out of the office pulling her t-shirt over her head and dropping on the floor. "We have to be at the precinct after lunch." She calls to him, laughing when she can hear him scramble after her.

* * *

There are six photos left, two appear to be of the same woman, or sisters but she just can't but her finger on it. "Bring them in." She tells the team surrounding her.

* * *

**If you count today we are at FIVE DAYS until Castle!**


	14. Chapter 14

The first four are a bust. Loyal servants of the Bracken's legitimate political machine, fully documented and having no clue as the reality of the man that they work for. They're not allowed to go home alone. The squirmy secretary of his is escorted to a safe house. Everyone else is given a detail to watch their every move, monitor their phone calls, make sure that none of them breathe a word to anyone that they were simply questioned by a federal agent in an interview room in a police precinct that Senator Bracken is well acquainted with.

The fifth and sixth women are in fact the same woman, her suspicions were right, and she's proving difficult to find. A third identity probably, provided by Aranston's black ops division run solely by Bracken, allowing her to start a new life at approximately fifty. So they're going to have to spend a little more time tracking her down, but the facial recognition machines are running in DC and they are going to find her.

Hutton and Borger recognized the pictures nodding calmly, grimly, when shown them. Agreeing that she was the quaffed, steely bitch that had hired them to watch her. Done all the dealings, passed all the orders when they were enlisted to "serve their country" again.

* * *

It's five o'clock when two FBI agents and two uniforms escort her onto the homicide floor. She's maybe five feet tall, and steely thin, strong muscles, meant for running away. She's dressed like a kindergarten teacher though, practical clothes, easy to wash, shoes meant for being on her feet. "Who goes from working for murder incorporated to being a kindergarten teacher?" Castle appears by her elbow holding a cup of coffee.

"Someone that got tired of the blood on their hands, or the person they were doing it for. Becomes disenchanted with the goal or the reason and so they leave and put as much distance between them and horrors of their previous job." She gives him a sad smile taking her cup.

"So go from orchestrating murders to educating the next generations... How long do we let her stew in interrogation before we go in there?"

Flicking her wrist enough to see the time, "Couple of hours, make it clear we're serious, start with the boys. Let them see what they can get."

"You're going to let the boys do this?" He looks incredulous.

"No, every one of them has flipped and told us things when they see me. She won't say anything until I go in there. No way she got to be his right hand and spills to a couple of detectives. But she left for a reason."

"So we go in there after the boys."

She can feel the smile on her face, them working together. "We'll see what happens with the boys, but I think that maybe I'll go in alone, at least at first. In the meantime we shall let her stew, let's get some dinner for the team."

"Actually, I already ordered food for them, we have a reservation for two at that Italian restaurant you love down the street." Holding up her coat for her arms to slide through.

She smiles softly at him before turning around. They start toward the elevator as the delivery guy from the best Chinese restaurant arrives with enough food to feed the entire floor not just their team and Castle signs. "You really are the most generous man I've ever known," she tells him softly taking his hand as they step into the elevator.

"Except for you, I'm not sharing you with anyone."

* * *

The overhead lights are only half on in the interrogation room, and the woman is sitting calmly with her right leg crossed over her left. Her foot isn't shaking, she's not studying her nails, or fidgeting in anyway she's just sitting, exactly where Ryan and Esposito left her an hour ago. "Did you get anything from her?" She asks them as they flank her.

"That she's a creepy son of a bitch, has some sort of training." Espo grunts, "She smiles when she talks about her kindergartners, and talks about all the good that Senator Bracken has done for her classroom."

"As for our two known conspirators she's never even heard of them, but she's appropriately terrified to think of them as identifying her as this spokesperson of an organization that's been killing people in order to keep Senator Bracken's political career on the fast track. Which she couldn't possibly believe a politician would be so low as to do something like we're suggesting," Ryan scoffs.

"What's she going by at the moment?" She asks.

Ryan flips closed his folder "Samantha Weaver, but when she was at Aranston Solutions she went by Lauren Jones..."

"And at Brackens office it was Natalie Hillsberg," Esposito finishes.

Talking her eyes off the petite blonde that she is going to break. Turning her back on them she looks at Castle. She's made up her mind she's going in there alone and he sees it the moment their eyes meet. "Go show her why they sent you to Washington Kate." She smiles, reaching out to squeeze his hand, then walks out into the precinct hallway like she done half a thousand times and she pulls in a deep breath before opening the door to the interrogation room.

* * *

The hitch in the woman's breath is audible when the door closes behind her, but she has to give Samantha credit, she doesn't say anything. That's fine, she can wait, this woman is the key to absolutely everything and she will break. She mirrors Samantha's silence opting to drop her portfolio on the table and then retreat to the wall where she intends to just stand and watch her until she breaks.

It's twenty-three minutes and thirty-seven seconds before Samantha opens her mouth, "Look Detective Beckett, I didn't realize that all of this was about you. You were the reason I got out."

Silence is her best friend at the moment, so she stays watching, waiting see if Samantha will say anything more. She ponders for a moment what is it about Bracken and herself that has these guys spilling their guts at the sight of her, but chooses to decide that it really doesn't matter at that moment. Shifting her weight back onto both feet, sweeping her hair behind her ear before reaching under her jacket to remove the shiny new badge that she's barely gotten use to carrying. "It's Special Agent Beckett now."

"You're a federal agent now?" There's an edge of panic in Samantha's voice.

"That's why they gave me the badge."

Samantha is quiet for a moment, "Always knew that you'd go far, it troubled him. You were the one person that he couldn't control, couldn't get dirt on, and couldn't predict. Lost your mother because she was digging around in the beginning of this and instead of becoming a lawyer just like her and following in her footsteps, in her legacy, you transferred from Stanford where you were studying pre-law to NYU and studied criminal justice before enrolling in the police academy. That infuriated him and then you were digging around in the case. I had those two guys watching you, seeing if you found the connections. I had Roy Montgomery threaten you to get you to stop."

Now she shifts, leans forward on the table. "When your writer opened the file we got a notification, when you found the man that we paid to kill your mother we were notified. He has been watching you since the day you started criminal justice at NYU."

"You said I was the reason that you got out. Tell me how."

"It took me nearly three years to orchestrate, to make it look like I wasn't a threat to him. I took classes to get my teaching certificate, talked about how I wanted to be a teacher, how'd I always wanted to be a teacher. I passed all the praxis tests did the student teaching and when I got hired by a ritzy private school downtown I told him that I was leaving for the new school year. I had enough money in savings that I didn't need a new job. I could have gone into hiding moved to Europe, but I couldn't spend my whole life looking over my shoulder so I set up a very neat and tidy exit strategy."

"Samantha, I need the reason why."

"That's not my name you know."

"Well, I also have it here that you went by Lauren and Natalie at one point."

"My parents named me Kelly, after my dad's grandmother. Kelly Elizabeth Lindsay. They're both dead, a car crash when I was 17. I was interning on his campaign the summer before college when it happened. He paid for my college education, my aunts chemotherapy when she got ovarian cancer, he put my uncle in a home when dementia got that better of him, gave me my first job out of college, hell every job but with my kindergartners."

"Kelly that's not an answer."

It's silent for a long minute, "I'm being held under the patriot act aren't I?"

"What gave it away?"

"You haven't so much as though about reading me my rights, or charging me with anything."

"Smart lady."

"You don't rise in his organization and not be smart. Is there a deal to be made or am I going to be whisked off to a black ops undisclosed location."

"Depends on what you say."

"Should I even ask for a lawyer?"

She stands, to face the mirror behind her, feeling the three sets of eyes that have to be in there. "Kelly, I don't want you, I want him. Tell me what I need to nail him."

"I just want to go back to my kindergartners."

"If can nail him Kelly then you're part of this, the part where you continually ordered people to watch me on his behalf that he sent people to kill my mother, to kill my captain, to kill me all to advance his political career. That part of your life where you worked to advance the career of a megalomaniac by orchestrating the death and blackmail of innocent people. People that are actually stand up Americans and deserved to live their lives out, that part is what you will spend the rest of your life working to make up for with your kindergartners." She almost spits. "But Kelly you're going to have to tell me everything, starting with why you're talking to me."

"Ok Agent Beckett, ok..." She uncrosses her arms and legs and braces herself, "He always said that you were the only one that could take him down. That one day you would come looking for him, and you would actually have the evidence to take him down. You're the only person that would be able to."

"When did you leave? The last thing that you were part of."

"He went by Hal Lockwood. I helped orchestrate his escape from jail."

"Cole Maddox?" she prompts the small woman that's changed her name more times that some people move houses.

"Was lined up as a backup for Lockwood, should he fail."

"What were their orders?"

"To kill you."

"Why?"

"To eliminate the one person that he was afraid that he could bring him down."

She opens her portfolio and slides the blank notepad across to the petite woman. "I'm going to need absolutely every detail of his organization that you can remember in writing."

Kelly takes the pen and paper from her, "And then?"

"And then I take him down, and we go on to live our lives without the cloud of William Bracken over our heads."

"Ok."

"I'll send a uniform into sit with you. Do you need anything?"

"A cup of coffee if you have any."

"Sure."

She leaves the room as the pen starts scratching against the paper, sending one of the uniforms outside the door inside to sit with her, and the other to get her a cup of coffee.


	15. Chapter 15

**Penulitmate chapter here. Appropriate since tomorrow is SEASON 6!**

* * *

It's taken a few days but they've run down the information that Kelly Lindsay provided them with in her affidavit. There were pages and pages of things for them to run down. They'd ended up enlisting the New York FBI field office just to have more man and computer power to run the financials, pull and execute the warrants. It allowed them to investigate and cover their tracks as thoroughly as possible, without raising any flags within Bracken's organization.

There's binders and binders of paper copies, three copies to be exactly, one for the DC and US Attorney General's office one to the FBI office in New York and one for the 12th precinct. The electronic version won't be distributed until after the case is officially closed to prevent it from being hacked. The original is being prepped to be send directly to the US Attorney General. She's planning to take it in herself and then her mom's case will finally be closed after this and be moved out of the cold case storage.

With the warrants in order, the teams are streaming out into the waiting black and whites, and unmarks that are going to take them to the press event. Senator William Bracken is about to announce his candidacy for Governor of the State of New York. All part of his path way to the oval office built on her mother's murder and so many others. She can't help but feel just a little jolt of pleasure at the idea of taking him down just when just he thinks he got everything in line.

Ryan and Esposito are saddling up by their desks and Captain Gates is coming out of her office checking her weapon before sliding it into the shoulder holster under her suit jacket. She takes a deep breath, this is her moment. She's going to close the door on one part of her life, and start the next.

"Castle?" She asks hesitantly.

"Yes?" He holds open her trench coat so that she can slide into it, a familiar routine, but before he has a chance to slip away from her she grabs his hand and steps into him.

"Castle… all of this," she waves at the bullpen, conference room, and troops vaguely. "This moment wouldn't have been possible without you."

"Kate, you would have gotten here eventually."

She can't help it she has to press a kiss to his self-deprecating lips. "Let me finish Castle," she breathes against his skin.

He looks a little bewildered as she pulls back, "Ok go on."

"I know that I haven't always done right by you, and I've done some things that have really hurt you out of selfish intentions. But I've learned from those mistakes. Castle, you belong in my life. You make it lighter, happier, and easier to face the dark day after day. You've helped me face my demons, and broken down my walls. If there's only one thing that I am completely sure of any more is that I need you by my side when I bring down my own personal dragon and every in every battle that comes after."

Her little speech has attracted the attention of those remaining, her team standing closer but she can't think of a better place to ask, "Castle, will you marry me?"

It's silent as a tear escapes the corner of his right eye and a smile blooms on his face, and then he's pulling her to him. Kissing her reverently, tasting of complete happiness. The kiss ends but she can't bring herself to pull away leaving her forehead resting against his. "Is that a yes?"

He laughs more fully that he has in months, a beautiful, amused sound. "That is a, 'I will most definitely marry you Katherine Beckett.'" His grin has to match the one that has stretched across her face. "Oh, I have something for you," he pulls away just enough to reach into the breast pocket of his jacket. Someone gasps in the background, she's pretty sure it's Gates. "It would seem you beat me to the punch today, I had it all planned," he tells her popping open the little black box to reveal the ring he'd presented her with all those months ago. "It should fit."

She can't help it, she laughs, "I did tell you to come back when it fit," offering her left hand up to him as he pulls the sparking band out of the box. He's right it fits perfectly when it settles at the base of her finger and she has to kiss if all the more for that, as applause, and a few wolf whistles fill the room.

It's Gates that eventually clears her throat, wiping away a tear. "As beautiful a moment as this is we have an arrest to make."

With that everyone starts towards the stairs and elevators, with slaps on their shoulder, Ryan and Esposito both stopping for a hug. Herself and Castle are the last ones standing when he turns to her, "Let's go slay the dragon."

* * *

She's never been to a political event but she imagines they're all alike. There seem to be dozens of volunteers in _Bracken for Governor_ T-shirts and the lobby of the theater is all done up in red, white, and blue. Misplaced patriotism. So as not to spook anyone they've set up NYPD Uniforms on the positions inside, so if anyone that asks will be told that it's just increased security for the event. Outside, the FBI has formed a ring around the building and there's a prisoner transport truck waiting. They'll be taking no chances, Senator Bracken will be going to straight to a federal holding cell to await his army of lawyers for arraignment and bail hearings.

The Senator's wife is on the stage at the moment, lauding her husband's work for the state in the Senate, as a Representative and Councilman before that. She's extremely happy that she came down here this morning before heading to the precinct to scope out the layout of the event. She intends to make the biggest splash possible out of this. She's going to take everything from him. Because even if he magically manages to beat the charges his political career is over.

She hears the crowd go wild, a volume that she thought only happened at rock concert, but here there's some Americana music thundering through the open doors to the auditorium. She lets it wash over her as she steps closer so that see can see the center aisle, steps onto the stage conveniently in the middle. She can see him jogging up the side steps waving like he's some kind of pageant queen with a comically large smile on his face, relishing in the applause. Eventually, he takes the podium waving at everyone to quiet down, prepared to give his stump speech. For the only time.

She steps into the doorway Castle and Ryan to her left, Esposito and the Captain to her right. Espo touches his ear, receiving confirmation that everyone was in place through his earpiece and gives her a nod. Ring on her finger, glock on her left hip, badge and handcuffs on her right, she's never felt more powerful or more in control of a moment than she is right now.

Lifting her chin she starts down the aisle, feeling the wave of anxiety behind her as the crowd senses that something is very wrong. Bracken's eyes lock on her, he can't avoid her any longer but he doesn't stop his speech. Kevin and Javi come to a stop halfway down the aisle as a dozen Uniforms and FBI agents file in behind them lining the aisle to ensure crowd control. Bracken's speech comes to a stumbling stop when she reaches the stairs. She has him dead to rights and he knows it.

Gates and Castle stop at the stairs and she climbs them by herself, the auditorium seems to be holding its collective breath. Out of the corner of her eye she sees an aid that seems to being having a panic attack that the event isn't going as planned. Stepping around the podium, the Senator seems to have found his voice, "Detective Beckett."

She smiles, this is the only time it will give her pleasure, "It's Special Agent Beckett." The mic is still on which gives her a thrill of pleasure, the camera's in the back for the local news stations are going to catch every word as she reads him the charges and the rights.

"Turnaround," she orders, pulling out her handcuffs. He blanches, shock rocking through his body as he shuffles around. "Senator William Harrold Bracken you are under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree of Luke Mason, Johanna Beckett, Roy Montgomery, John Raglan, and Kevin McCallister. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you. You have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand these rights?"

There's a gasping "_Yes_" that the microphone catches causing an echo to ring through the auditorium, and she closes the handcuffs over his expensive suit.

A woman lets out an anguished scream, his wife, as she turns him on his heel marches him down the stairs, back up the aisle through his formerly adoring crowds and right past the news cameras. She has a feeling that some have cut their regular programming to carry this breaking news. She's not smiling but this day is going down as the best day in her life, as she steers him out past the volunteers in the lobby gaping aghast, and the uniforms follow them out.

His career is ruined.

He comes to a startled stop when they go through the lobby doors. He wasn't expecting this, which is good, they covered their tracks properly. "You were always too nosey for your own good." He seems to have recovered his sense of self. "You're going down, bitch," he spits.

She leans closer to him so she can say this right in his ear, "I won and you know it. I wouldn't be here otherwise. You're finished." Then she shoves him out the front door and a black clad swat team converges taking him from her and frog marching him to the armored transport.

The FBI agents are first to leave, following them out to the federal buildings where he'll be held for now. The NYPD is taking responsibility for crowd control leaving the event. And putting the wife in a car to take her home.

"Good job, Agent Beckett. Come see me when you come back from Washington." Victoria Gates is actually smiling at her, "I didn't know Roy Montgomery personally but he would have been proud of you today."

"Thank you Captain." She doesn't know how not to be overflowing with joy and relief at this being over.

Ryan and Espo both wrap their arms around her in hugs before splitting to their own cars. Castle has been hovering in the periphery this whole time, letting her take the congratulations on her own but now that the boys are done she feels his hand on the small of her back as he steps into her. She takes it as her cue to finally turn to him. "Thank you Castle, for believing in me, for opening this case again all those years ago, for helping me give my mom justice."

"Like I said Beckett, I'm here until the wheels fall off." He kisses her, and lets the joy and relief bubble up into him as she wraps her arms around his neck.

* * *

**The final chapter will be posted tomorrow, before the premiere airs in the US. Since it's airing early in Canada I'm swearing off social networks as of 8 pm tonight.**

**Thanks for riding it out with me.**

**Babyrose**


	16. Chapter 16

**Better late than never.  
**

* * *

In the chaos of three different agencies leaving her car got taken back to the precinct without her and Castle in it. But she doesn't mind. He has her strolling through the park, arms linked together, as he babbles. He's babbling and it's about nothing and it's everything. She just lets him go, smiling and laughing. They'll get back to the precinct eventually, and the paperwork will be completed so she can take it down to DC, but William Bracken is just settling into the future he deserves and there's plenty of time for all the rest of it now.

They're ambling across the street towards a hotel that looks oddly familiar. "Where are we going?"

"Ah Agent Beckett, your memory must be failing you. There's a very specific reason that we've come here. See today a beautiful and extraordinary woman proposed marriage to me." He tells her steering her into the elevator and hitting the button for the roof top restaurant. "And while this delights me to no end, and I was more than thrilled to say yes, it did disrupt my carefully structured plans of proposing to her for a second time at her request."

The elevator dings as it reaches the top floor opening onto a rooftop that looks very familiar to her now. "You didn't?" She looks up at him smile blossoming across her face.

"See, I had this very careful plan that involved bringing you to the place we first met and much like the first time you presented me with your badge I was going to tap you on your shoulder and you'd spin around with that beautiful smile you have that when you're simultaneously amused, annoyed with me, and completely in love with me. I would get down on one knee and this time I would ask you to marry me surrounded by friends and family with a ring that fits and with a certainty that whatever decision you made for work we would be spending the rest of our lives together."

She can't help but laugh, because now she knows her car getting taken wasn't just a mistake but a carefully calculated move because Esposito is in the corner waving her keys with a self-satisfied grin. She takes in the bar, that doesn't seem to have changed all that much in the five years since she first met him it becomes evident that this was carefully plan. It's not just her boys, it's the entire homicide floor is there in fact. Probably most the precinct. Lanie is perched on a bar stool talking to Alexis that was supposedly due back tomorrow. Martha and her dad are having a spirited debate about something or other. "You remember when I told you I thought that it should be a private intimate thing?"

"You remember when you told me that I should do something big?"

"And I told you I would hate it." She shoots back, his face drops just a little.

"You did steal my thunder."

"I don't hate it Castle. In fact, it's perfect. I'm almost wishing that I hadn't jumped the gun this afternoon." She cradles his face in her hands capturing his lips in a kiss. "Almost wish."

"Doesn't stop this from being a gesture."

"Not one bit." She's smiling and she's certain she won't stop for days. "I love you Richard Castle."

"I love you too Katherine Beckett." He kisses her quickly. "Although I think I'm going to leave you to explain why my daughter and mother missed the moment that I've been planning rather carefully for the last two months." He finishes as they're swarmed by his family and her dad.

"Hi dad." She grins and he bear hugs her.

"I told you it would all work out didn't I?" He pulls back, absolute pride in his eyes. "I'm so happy for you and your mom would be too."

"Thank you Dad." She doesn't get a moment longer that because Alexis and Martha are turning to her wrapping their arms around her welcoming her to the family.

* * *

"That was quite the spectacle you put together." The US Attorney General drops the file he's holding on the desk when she enters the room, wheeling the suitcase with the case files behind her.

"Sir." She acknowledges, but she doesn't feel the least bit bad about it.

He gestures for her to take a seat across from him. She's not dressed to regulation, and her hair is down but she's happy and this is that last time she's going to be down here and a federal employee. "It really was quite the show. CNN called the press department wanting to know why they hadn't received a tip that this was going to happen so they wouldn't have to rely on b-roll from the local stations. C-Span however was delighted. I think it's the first time they've ever been on the front lines of breaking news." Tossing a paper in her direction her own face next to Bracken's with the headline, _Most Corrupt Politician in History._ "Politico and the Hill were excited though, web traffic has skyrocketed. So it's safe to say that no matter what, you've ruined his career."

"That was the goal sir," she nods maintaining a straight face.

He laughs at her. "You can relax Agent. You did good. Now it's up to my office to prosecute it."

She lets the happiness take over her face, relief washing through her. "Thank you sir."

"I take it that suitcase over there is the originals?"

"Yes, there's two more in my office but these are the pertinent documents. The other two are supporting documents."

"Wow... Sounds like fun." He sounds thrilled. "What about you? I know you said that you weren't coming back when you went up there at the beginning of the month but it's the end of September now and you've got one of the biggest cases in history under your belt, so are you sure you don't want to stay and put more people like him way?"

She shifts leaning forward. "This case was personal. That's what made it worth the tedium and extensive research. It allowed me to finally put an end to a man that changed my life irrevocably at 19 all because it was messing with his plan. But the work we do here is important and interesting but it's not where my interests lie. I want to bring closure to families one day at a time. My enjoyment in this field has always come from seeing a case from the initial call to the final notification. I like working with people and asking questions. Pouring over paperwork and occasional going out in the field isn't my wheelhouse. I want to work the streets and do it with my team."

"Well from all of us at the Justice Department we're sad to see you go. The NYPD doesn't know how lucky it is to keep you. If you ever change your mind or are looking for a recommendation for advancement let me know. We'll need to keep in contact for testimony and depositions. It's won't be pretty and it's definitely not over."

"But the world knows what he is." She stands. It's time to go home. "What he's capable of, what he's done. I caught him. You have to make sure he stays caught."

"Well that's the legal system in a nutshell." He chuckles standing to match her.

Unhooking the badge, cuffs, and Government Issue weapon from her belt she sets it all on his desk. "Sir, I formally tender my resignation as a Special Agent of the Department of Justice Task force."

He doesn't touch anything that she laid before him, but he does smile and extent his hand. "It was our pleasure. The streets of New York have never been safer. Good luck to you Detective, and say hello to your writer for me. My wife loved the signed copy of _Deadly Heat._"

She grins fully now, catching her tongue between her teeth. "He sure is something. Thank you for the opportunity, if you ever need help in New York."

"I know who to have them call..." he pauses, takes a final breath. "Go home Detective." She nods her head and turns for the door, relief washing through her body. She's going home.

With only a stop in her office to grab the lone blue coffee cup and her coat she's ready to go, the suitcases having been collected by an enterprising clerk already. Closing her door behind her she's surprised to find most of the floor, people she can barely name or recall interactions with clapping for her. So it's with a blush of pride on her cheeks she walks away from one the worst summers of her life.

* * *

She's stirring the marinara sauce on the stove as the water boils for the spaghetti when he gets home. "Kate?" He calls from the doorway knowing she should be there.

Her, "In here," has his head popping around the corner to smile at her.

"What do we have here?" He crosses to her wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.

She points to the badge clipped to the outside of her purse on the counter. "One Detective Kate Beckett. I stopped and the precinct and picked it up on my back from the airport. Gates seemed to be relieved, said we're to report in first thing Monday."

He chuckles letting go of her to help by throwing the pasta in the boiling water. "We're expected in?"

"Dare I say she likes you. She certainly likes the ring."

"Yes, well I have excellent taste." He grins at her.

Leaving the spoon in the bubbling sauce, she steps into him brushing a kiss over his lips. "You really do."

"Kate Beckett in the kitchen barefoot an..."

She grabs his ear. "Don't you even think it," she growls, when he yelps.

He gasps when she lets go, "Geez woman. I was just teasing."

"Don't go putting that out there just yet." She smacks his him gently.

"Just yet?" He asks enquiring but not pushing, joy suffusing his very being. He's practically glowing next to her.

"Just yet," she confirms with a hum, going back to her sauce.

* * *

**Thanks for reading you wonderful people. And not spoiling me you lovely Canadians.**

**Until next time.**

**Thanks!**


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